Twilight Of The Trees
by endlessmaze
Summary: Something is threatening to lead the trees of Middle Earth into extinction.  Their disappearance could in turn threaten all other inhabitants of Middle Earth. To save the trees Legolas has to fight get others to help and to figure out how to stop it.
1. Chapter 1

**Twilight Of the Trees **

_**Summary:**_ Something is threatening to lead the trees of Middle Earth into extinction. Their disappearance could in turn threaten all other inhabitants of Middle Earth. In order to save the trees Legolas will have to fight not only to get others to help him but to figure out how to stop it. The decimation of the trees is affecting him though – as one very connected to nature his existence is impacted by their fading life force. As their life force wanes his weakens as well. Others from the Fellowship are drawn into the fight and they uncover a sinister element at work. Now all of their lives are in danger.

_**Characters:**_ Mainly Legolas & Aragorn. Others from the Fellowship are involved.

_**Warnings:**_ Angst. Adventure. ****Possible character death.****

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**Twilight Of The Trees**

A Lord Of The Rings Fanfiction

by

endlessmaze

**Chapter One**

The breeze playfully rustled the leaves in the early morning air. Legolas' bright eyes peered up at the roof of the forest spread out against the sky overhead. He found great joy in watching the way nature's children interacted with one another. The way that the winds tickled the maple leaves and made them dance in midair. How the sunlight sparkled on the surface of a flowing river and accentuating its tempo and the bends and dips that came in its journey. And the way raindrops sculpted the earth one by one as they fell from the clouds. Their moisture creating interestingly shaped puddles and small crooked trails down along hillsides.

It saddened his heart to know that not all beings appreciated these things but at the same time he was uplifted by the thought of how it felt like a beautiful secret that he was allowed witness to share. He was privy to the wonders which nature held within it. He was honored to be allowed this gift.

The elf's lips parted and he breathed in deeply. All the many fresh and sweet scents of an early morning in the wood greeted his lungs then journeyed deep into his soul.

"Le hannon, my friends, you have rejuvenated me in my journey today," he offered quietly to his surroundings and all things in it. The grateful words completed he lowered his gaze back to the stream where he stood, perched upon the large rock that split the water down the middle between the bank on either side.

The stream was deeper than it usually was this time of year. But this was not surprising as there had been an extended spell of rain not long ago. The rock on which he stood was submerged in water nearly entirely spare the narrow top which he easily balanced upon.

His eyes looked downstream as far as his elven eyesight would allow him to see. The woods were bustling with activity. The summer day had dawned and delivered a brilliantly clear blue sky and the sun's rays peeked down through the treetops, landing upon the forest floor with its abundant brightness and warmth.

A strange slight noise drew Legolas' attention away from the sunlight and back to the stream's bank. It was a curious thing he found to be the source of the sound. An extremely petite and unfamiliar bird was standing near the water's edge a little further down along the stream.

The noise had been so light in the air that if it had not been for his exceptional hearing he would have missed it. He was glad that he had since the sound had not been a natural sound for the little creature – it was not a joyous tweet or sweet trill or any of the other song of any bird he had ever heard. The bird had emitted what might have only been described as a whimper. The elf studied the bird for a moment.

At first the creature remained very still with its head perked up out over the river then it began to move forward but the steps were clumsy and sluggish as if made by a baby bird and not a grown one. The little creature's head tucked down in towards its body as it attempted to keep going along the bank but making arduous progress of it.

Concern welled up in Legolas. The bird appeared to be injured although from a distance there was no obvious wound. He would have to get a closer look. With one leaping long stride he landed on the side of the stream where the bird stood. Legolas moved silently and slowly towards the little creature but even so when he neared it seemed to panic. This again concerned the elf since normally he could simply lay a hand open and have a bird land or climb on it. But this little one was spooked upon noticing his presence.

"It is well, little one. I do not wish to harm you," he whispered so faintly it was barely perceivable in the air around them. Still unsettled the bird turned the other way and attempted to scramble away but his movements were overwhelmingly shaky and this resulted in it simply stopping and freezing in its spot.

Closer now Legolas could see that the bird was black as a starless night. From his perch on the rock in the stream the creature had appeared more of a dark blue – perhaps a trick of the sunlight. It was odd to see a bird such a hue. He also noticed that there still seemed to be no visible injury. He wondered what might being ailing it.

Now within a few feet of the bird the elf stopped and pondered a moment. If it was injured he did not wish to distress the little one by chasing it down. He decided to make himself less of a threat and a bit more welcoming. Very slowly he lowered himself to the ground and lay on his stomach in the warm grass so he no longer loomed overhead. He slipped his right hand out from beneath his body. Laying the arm out on the earth in front of himself he opened his hand with the palm open to the sky. Then motionless he waited.

At first it was merely a stand off with neither moving – neither certain of the outcome of this encounter. Although eager to tend to the creature Legolas resisted the urge to rush this along. The bird had perked its beak up again and another sad noise came out. Then it turned its petite head this way and that. Perhaps in hopes of securing escape or to ensure no other threat resided there. The elf was not sure of which one it truly had been.

Finally looking back towards the golden haired being before it yet another sound of distress arrived from it into the air. The bird turned away from the elf after a few heartbeats and half staggered half hopped in the other direction. The little bird did not get very far before he came up upon the thick rugged cluster of rocks along the stream's edge. It stopped and looked about again, including back towards where the other creature lay in the grass, seemingly weighing its options.

Then suddenly as if taking action before the choice released its hold once again the petite bird scurried back towards the elf only slowing when it stood less than two inches from the outstretched fingertips. Legolas gazed warmly at the creature and it gazed back.

The elf breathed in and out very slowly not wishing for the slightest of noises to scare away the skittish bird. When he had reduced his intake so much that he nearly held his breath the bird braved the last few steps that separating their bodies.

Legolas fought back a laugh as the bird wobbled up and across his hand to the far side and back. The tiny claws tickled his skin but he wanted the creature to trust their present calm connection and not be startled by the laugh that would have inevitably made his body slightly tremble.

The bird seemed satisfied that no harm was coming his way by the elf and stopped in the center of Legolas palm. They gazed at one another for a moment. After a little visual study Legolas could then tell that in fact the petite bird was not really black in color after all. Some kind of substance covered the bird's feathers and body. It resembled soot in color and textured but was slightly shinier. He wondered how the creature had become thoroughly cloaked in the substance. Not immediately coming up with an answer he sent the question into the air very quietly.

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into that has left you in this predicament?" Legolas asked. The response was a stomp of the bird's tiny claw into the palm of his hand.

"What are you trying to say? Claiming this to be not of your own doing?"

The bird immediately flapped its wings furiously several times.

"This story is familiar to me. A tale I well know. It is a claim my friend Aragorn has insisted upon many a time. He is very skilled at finding trouble to get into and often requires assistance in freeing himself from it."

The creature responded with a quick harmless peck of the beak to the elf's skin.

"I shall give you the benefit of doubt my small friend for I know Aragorn all too well and have only now met you."

With this settled for the time being Legolas went from laying flat in the grass to standing in one smooth effortless motion. The little bird looked around from its newly found perch but did not attempt to depart.

"Now the need for a bath I must say is a truth you have in common with my friend Aragorn. For when he comes out of these scrapes of his he looks terribly disheveled."

The bird made no action to indicate that he disagreed.

"Mayhap you are not so like Aragorn as you appeared for he certainly would have take opposition to such an observation."

The pair fell into silence as Legolas carried the bird to a shallow pool of water created by a ring of rocks at the water's edge. With all the gentleness of his elven heritage he delicately and diligently helped remove every trace of the strange soot like substance from the little bird's body and feathers. This cleansing revealed the beauty of what existed underneath. As the blackness came away green the shade of jade arrived and shone brightly in the sunlight. There were subtle hints of silver and golden brown amongst other hues. Legolas had never seen a bird with these colors and markings. It was not native to the lands of which he knew intimately.

Having completed the bath the elf lifted the bird from the pool and carried it to a nearby tree. He placed it on one of the lower branches which were at about his eye level. The little creature fluttered its wings to shake out any remaining moisture and danced happily about on the bark of the branch.

"I must be off now, little one. My journey calls me back to it. Mayhap now that you are released from that blackness you are aided in your flight home. I wish you safe passage to what ever destination that may be."

With the departing words the elf swung up onto his horse and encouraged the animal to head off. His journey was simple message delivery. Normally this would have been handled by his father's fleet of fine messengers but Legolas had needed an excuse to go on an extended ride. It was summer and he felt the need to stray and explore outside the confines of his usual daily travels. He could be very persuasive when he wished to be and his father had given in to his contrived reasoning that he knew the path well and held rapport with the receiver on the other end. He wondered if the fact the recipient was Estel was the deciding factor that turned the tides in his favor.

Sensing something left incomplete he looked back over his shoulder to the area of the wood where he had just departed and discovered the small creature still residing in the same spot on the low branch where he had settled it.

"Fly home little one!" he called out to it encouragingly before turning his gaze back to the wooded path before him. He did not see the petite bird flutter off of the tree limb and fly quickly over the gap between it and the elf. It landed on the arrows that stuck out the top of his quiver and held on tightly as the horse hastened into a gallop.

Several hours passed by as he made steady progress shifting through various tempos from a full fledged gallop down to a meandering walk and back again. The sound of voices and activity just off the path up ahead was what caused the elf to slow his horse to a cautious walk this time.

After a few additional seconds of intent listening Legolas was a bit intrigued by what he heard. He halted the horse and slipped to the ground. He whispered the need for silence in elvish into the horse's ear and then crept the short distance to a cluster of trees that had grown together almost as one. Hidden he squatted down behind them at the edge of one of the trunks.

His sharp eyesight allowed him to see down into the small clearing. There was a fire going – strange for a warm summer day – and a group of cloaked figures encircled it. The sound that had captured his attention he found to be chanting created by the beings standing before the flames. The language they used was unknown to him. The group at the fire was eleven in total. But there were other beings present – all bundled up from head to toe and unrecognizable for what type of creature they may be. These others seem to be constructing something off to the side and he watched to try to identify what it might be that they were building.

It was then that the loud perturbed neigh of a horse echoed out into the air. To his disbelief it struck him that it had been his horse and he spun around to look at her back down the path a few feet. Something was wrong if he had requested her silence and she had not obeyed. But he had no time to ponder this because his attention was drawn back. When he whipped back around to face the clearing he realized what he had just done. His surprise at the neigh had made him inattentive to his movements and he had inadvertently shifted his position so the tree no longer completely hid him. The chanting had ceased and silence filled in where it had departed. The cloaked figures were all turned now facing in his direction. He had been discovered.

"Capture him!" the cry, loud and stern, arrived. Their numbers were too great for him to stand even the slimmest of chances against so he sprang into action – doing the only thing left to be done. He was on the horse's back barely a breath later reining the creature so it twirled around in the opposite direction. Then he commanded it to flee with great speed and urgency. He could hear the desperate angered yells in the air in the clearing as he raced back down the pathway.

When he began to hear clear signs that he was being pursued on horseback – the sound of numerous hoof beats on the hard packed earth of the trail at his back echoing in the midday air - he thought better of his usage of the path and guided the horse to veer off to the right and into denser woods. He had done this immediately after he had made the bend in the trail and he hoped for the best – that those chasing him would assume he had stuck to the path and that they simply had not caught up to him yet. He urged the horse to carry him as quickly as it possibly was able away from the trail and into the cover of the forest beyond. He needed to overcome easy range of sight before his pursuers rounded the bend in the trail. Although he listened for signs of them having re-discovered him as he rode on nothing came. Not wishing to risk it though he continued at a strong clip for quite some time longer.

Finally he was released from the sense that he should ride further at such a frenzied pace. He had lost those that chased him and he had put a great distance of forest behind him. He allowed his horse to relax and continue on at a far slower pace. Coming up over a small rise his sensitive ears were suddenly assaulted with woeful cries.

They were so sudden and sad and intense he physically had to cup his hands over his ears for a moment to help them adjust. The sound grew louder with every step further he progressed. Coming upon a large group of narrowly spaced trees it became clear that this area was the source of the disconcerting sound.

Stranger more was that there was no elf or human or other such being present that would likely make such a sound. Bewildered Legolas stopped his horse and with a gesture of the hand commanded her to stay still. He did not immediately sense a threat here but something was amiss.

Staying very close to the tree trunks for protection should a threat suddenly materialize he wandered through the cluster of trees. Listening and observing with great focus he came to realize that the sound was emanating from the trees themselves and not from some other being that was present.

Just as this understanding was falling into place inside him mind an incredibly loud wail sliced through the air. So close to the tree that had created it Legolas had been jolted by its sudden volume and jumped back away from it. With his natural leaping ability it took him far enough so he was now by the tree opposite the one which had wailed so terribly.

"Take greater care where you point those arrows!" a voice behind him insisted. Legolas spun around, a knife ready in hand in response to something managing to sneak up on him. Fury at his own mistake filled his eyes.

"Put that away before end up stabbing me with it as well," the voice stated and the tree before him shifted one of its lower branches so the tips covered its lower trunk protectively from any possible encounter with the sharp looking weapon.

Legolas smiled, realizing it had been the tree, and that he must have stuck it with the arrows in his quiver when he had backed up. He wondered how the fletched end of the arrows would have hurt such a solid tree. But the thought took second seat as apology was in order.

"My deepest apologies. I did not intend this to happen. Wait!" he began to exclaim, but confusion gripped him and he fell silent.

"_Yes_?" the tree urged when the elf remained quiet and repeatedly glanced from him to the other trees nearby and then back again.

"Why do you not cry out like the others?" the elf finally inquired.

"I am too far gone to have the strength with which to do so."

"What do you mean? What afflicts you?"

"It is something unknown to this tree and as well as these others that fill the air with their sorrow and pain."

"Do you mean to say that they are similarly afflicted?"

"Aye. And as those over to my North were before us."

Legolas turned away from the tree off to the right and gazed in the direction in which had been indicated. His keen sight sought out the trees which stood beyond this large cluster. The elf's eyes widened and his heart dipped as they came into focus.

"These trees they are all…!" the elf exclaimed but cut his words off unable to fathom and complete the thought. The tree finished for him.

"Dead."

"What has happened to them? To you?"

"We have pondered this but it remains hidden to us. While the trees to the north still lived they whispered amidst their cries that their northern neighbors had been through the same horror."

"So this affliction it spreads?"

"It would seem so I am afraid."

"They said not what ailed them then?"

"I fear that they did not know of it either."

"This is a strange and terrible occurrence."

"Tis true." The tree then let out a weary sigh and seemed to turn his attention off to the south. He did not speak for a long moment so Legolas made inquiry on his distraction.

"What thought do you dwell on my friend?"

"That if only the birds would return I might send a message to the wisest and eldest of all trees. He knows of many things that have come to pass. If there is a tree that has insight into these troubles it would be he."

"Do trees not send messages by passing along from cluster to cluster until it finds its intended receiver?"

"I fear there is no time for that method. If a message is of urgency a bird is sent."

The tree released another heavy sigh and the elf could hear the despair laden in the sound.

"My heart aches for you, dear one," Legolas offered.

"I am an old tree – not nearly the oldest by any means – but I have seen my share of seasons. I am not in sorrow for myself."

"Then what?"

"I fear that once we are gone it will continue on," the tree answered and with one of his higher limbs gestured southward. Legolas looked back in the direction from which he had come. The trees there were healthy in their bark and in the color of the leaves upon them. They were untouched.

"Something is very wrong. I must see how far this ailment extends."

"You have been kind to this old tree offering your apology and listening to my lament. My gratitude is extended to you…?"

"Legolas."

"That is all there be?" the tree asked with confusion enveloping the words.

"I do not understand. Of what do you ask me?"

"Those that usually pass through here offer names and titles of much greater - and of far more tiring - length."

"It matters not. Simply call me Legolas or _friend_."

"So be it then. I am Bentley, but my friends call me Lefty. Therefore, you are welcome to address me as such."

"I am honored – Lefty," Legolas responded as he looked upon the tree and realized the reason for the nickname. Almost all of the tree's limbs had grown on its left side and the tree's trunk listed ever so slightly in that direction as it neared the top.

"You have my gratitude for your story. But I fear this affliction can spare no time. I must ride on northward and discover what causes this horror."

"May your journey be swift and your findings not as I fear, my friend."

"And may you find comfort and health dear Lefty!"

Without further delay Legolas remounted his horse and encouraged her northward. He rode at an increasingly faster pace the further he traveled. On and on he went into the miles upon miles of forest. And the greater the number of hoof beats gone by the more horrifying the devastation grew.

The furthest grouping of trees he had come to thus far were not just dead but gnarled and charred looking. Layered on top of the bark was a thick black substance. Their leaves were all the color of fresh fallen snow – a flawless white. Their brightness stood out starkly against the blackened trees.

At this place, a rather small clearing encircled with trees, Legolas halted his horse and took in the scene before him. Wishing for a closer inspection of the trees he dismounted. That was when he noticed the ground. Despite his light footedness as his feet hit the earth there was a strange crunching sound underneath them. He had been so entranced by the trees and leaves and everything above he somehow had failed to notice the change in the ground. Now he gazed down beneath his boots and gasped. What had assuredly once been luscious green grass was now ebony in color and broken, brittle, and dead.

"How can this be so?" he spoke in confusion. The elf squatted down beside his horse and stared down in disbelief at the ground. Every blade of grass was now blackened. He leaned forwarded slightly, taking care to not touch the grass with his bare skin, and sniffed in the scent of it. A horrid acidic smell assaulted him and he let out a cough at its impact with his throat and lungs. Recovering he stood back up and took a few steps towards the edge of the clearing and, therefore, the trees.

As he was nearing the edge of the clearing he felt something drip onto his ear. Reaching a hand up he surveyed his skin with his fingertips for what it had been that had landed upon him. He located it quickly and he could feel it stick to his skin so he pulled his hand back down and held out in front of him to look upon it.

To his dismay what was in his hand was the black substance that covered the bark of the trees. His instinct was to immediately clean himself of the substance but forethought kicked in. Since he had already come in contact with it then he might as well find out a little more about it. It was sticky but still held a hint of moisture and gritty in texture.

Despite his better judgment he tried to get the smell of this as well. He figured it had already come in contact with his skin and it might become vital in figuring out what was going on in this place. The same offensive acidic smell met his sense of smell as had when he sniffed at the grass.

Perhaps this explained the grass? He stepped back from the tree to the center of the small clearing and looked up the overhanging branches. As he had theorized small globs of the black goo separated from the tree bark and fell to the ground. This riddle possibly unraveled he moved back to his horse and reached into his pack with his free hand, pulling out a cloth. He used the fabric to wipe away the substance from his hand and ear. Then taking out his water he wet a corner of the cloth that remained clear of the goo and washed any further residue from his skin. He only hoped he would not regret having been so foolish as to have stopped and gotten off his horse here.

Tucking the cloth back inside his pack he took one last look around. He then mounted again in a single heartbeat and took off northward. This time his pace was slower so that he could survey the details of his surroundings. The sights that came to his eyes brought torment to his heart, sent foreboding thoughts through his mind, and delivered anger to his spirit. This last emotion only further ignited when he came upon a fair sized river.

As he approached its bank a harsh smell assaulted his sinuses and he brought up the sleeve of his shirt to his nose for a moment to abate it. It was more of a stench than a smell, so foul and penetrating that his horse began refuse to go any further. At first he commanded the animal to take a few more steps nearer so he could clear the tree line to afford a better vantage point but when the horse let out a distressed huff of air he thought better of it.

Looking out across to the opposite bank the state of the river halted the breath in his body. The water was filled with blackened tree branches, bright white leaves, sickly gray colored acorns and pine cones, and other debris. The water itself was a strange gray green color with swirls of black and yellow mixed in here and there. Floating on the surface and at the river's edge amongst the debris were dead fish, frogs, and other water creatures.

The horse shifted abruptly underneath him from one foot to the other and back again as if attempting to shake the elf out his fixated state and back into breathing. After taking in a few breaths, shallow and quick in their detail to avoid the full brunt of the smell, Legolas leaned down along the horse's mane and whispered elvish words of reassurances into her perked up ears.

With these soft spoken words the animal took the handful of remaining steps that cleared their view of the tree line. Now free to look north and south down the river the elf saw that the state of things was similar in both directions. He was about to turn his gaze away from the southbound stretch of the river when recognition struck his mind.

Quite a distance further down along the water he could make out several grand rock formations on either side of the river. These fascinatingly shaped formations collectively created two low overhanging cliffs – the outermost rocks of each nearly touching one another over the center of the river.

After passage underneath them the river would dramatically bend southwestward instead of true south. This Legolas could not see but only knew to be true because he recognized the unique color and shape of the rock formations.

They marked the bend before the rapids at Rages Deep. This was the River Jaden. Suddenly his chest tightened in upon itself and his heart raced as the realization sunk inward and was absorbed into his heart and mind.

"This can not come to be," he whispered against the thick air around him. As if not understanding what the elf knew and she did not but desiring to the horse shifted her weight once again.

"Do you not see, my friend? This is the River Jaden. One of the far reaching most resource filled rivers there is. And one of the next heavily inhabited places it will flow into is Gondor!"

Most of the River Jaden was swift flowing but it did have its sections where it was more subdued. These areas were where its resources were most critically relied upon. He had ridden along the river much further south not a day ago and the waters there had been clear and teaming with life. When the water he now looked upon reached those areas its effects could be widespread and devastating.

"Be swift of speed and strong in endurance, my friend, for we must reach Aragorn with much haste!" the elf cried out to the beautiful horse beneath him. And with not so much as an additional kick of encouragement the animal spun them around back southward and took off as if it were the forceful winter wind.

Legolas did not slow the horse until they had returned back to the place of the crying tress where they had stopped earlier. He quickly dismounted and rushed over to the tree which he had conversed with on their first visit.

"Lefty, my tree friend, I have seen the north and our fears are warranted. And there is a question I must ask of you!" Legolas called out as he arrived at the base of the oak tree.

But the tree did not reply. The elf's heart pulsed furiously against his chest as a result of his galloped ride. The beating echoed in his eardrums as well. Perhaps he was not hearing a whispered answer from the tree because it was masked by this internal distraction.

So he keyed up his hearing and all of his senses and when he did he came to a saddened realization. The tree has passed away while he had been gone. Its spirit was no longer present. Then something else struck him and he looked about. The other trees no longer cried out as they had when he had stood in the same spot earlier in the day.

"Be at peace!" he offered them.

With those whispered words Legolas sunk down to his knees and hung his head. Then he wept for a long time. His heartbreak echoed hauntingly amongst the now silenced cluster of trees.

"What evil hath taken ahold here?" he pondered once the tears had released his voice back to him. His heart ached fiercely to know of what was causing the trees demise. For if he knew there was nothing that would stand in the way of his fighting and decisively defeating it.

Lifting his head up high he gazed around at the newest casualties of this unseen enemy.

"Whatever evil you are I will defeat you!" he declared. Standing he placed a hand upon Bentley's trunk and bowed his head giving the deceased tree a respectful silent blessing for his journey into the beyond.

Then lifting his fingertips from his bark the elf turned away. A heartbeat later he was mounted on his horse and turned their direction southbound once more.

And he rode with all the intensity of his love for the trees and all the fierceness of his warrior spirit towards those who had stood beside him in battle so bravely in times before.

As twilight began to descend upon the forest surrounding him Legolas raced desperately to outrun it.

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**Twilight Of the Trees **

_**Summary:**_ Something is threatening to lead the trees of Middle Earth into extinction. Their disappearance could in turn threaten all other inhabitants of Middle Earth. In order to save the trees Legolas will have to fight not only to get others to help him but to figure out how to stop it. The decimation of the trees is affecting him though – as one very connected to nature his existence is impacted by their fading life force. As their life force wanes his weakens as well. Others from the Fellowship are drawn into the fight and they uncover a sinister element at work. Now all of their lives are in danger.

_**Characters:**_ Mainly Legolas & Aragorn. Others from the Fellowship are involved.

_**Warnings:**_ Angst. Adventure. ****Possible character death.****

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**Twilight Of The Trees**

A Lord Of The Rings Fanfiction

by

endlessmaze

**Chapter Two**

The sound of his horse's hooves echoing off the hard surface of the streets of Minas Tirith sent relief through Legolas' body. The prior night he had ridden as long and far into the dusk and darkness as he felt it safe to do so. For the remainder of the night he had taken refuge in a sturdy tree and tried to rest. It had not come easily. The images of the north haunted his heart and the deep ache they created made it difficult to drift away into the haven of elven sleep. The wee hours had passed all too slowly.

Then with the stillness of the predawn still clinging to the air Legolas had remounted his horse and raced onward.

The mere shreds of rest he had gotten in the tree had not been enough to fully heal the drain on his energies. That combined with the long hard miles he had covered to reach the city and the dire pace they had been ridden at left him physically weary and even more tangled up in the sense of urgency and danger he had felt back at the River Jaden.

"Prince Legolas! Welcome!" Tennon, the head stablehand, called out as the elf rode up to entryway of the stables.

"It is good to see you well, Tennon!" Legolas replied as he dismounted. The man had long been in charge of the stables in the city and they had met on several occasions.

"Shall I take your horse inside for you? I dare say there is enough time before afternoon feeding to spare her a little extra care if you would allow me to do so."

"The offer is kind but I wish to take her myself. I have asked much of her these last two days. It is I who should show my appreciation for her efforts."

"As you wish. If you are in need of anything I will not hesitate to assist."

Legolas offered him a grateful smile in answer. The stablehand nodded his understanding and headed off to attend to other matters. Legolas led the horse into the dimness of the stables and continued down along until he reached the very last stall. The area was fair sized and only one other stall adjoined it, making it a bit removed from the activity and noise in the rest of the stables.

While Legolas removed the pack from the horse's back and settled her he spoke to her in his native language, offering words of comfort and thanks. He felt he would need her greatly in the coming days and found it wise to spare a moment now to reinforce the fine quality of her efforts.

As he groomed her he softly sang to her – the lyrics telling the beautiful tale of an elf and a horse and their play at chasing a pair of butterflies through a meadow.

All too soon the song found its end and quiet filled the stall. Legolas wished to give more time but when all the needed tasks were completed he could ignore the reason for his rushed arrival no longer.

He ran his fingertips up along her body until they rested upon her nose. The light touch seemed to have a very soothing effect. As the elf stroked her nose and then up along between her tired eyes the horse became lulled into a restful state.

With that Legolas silently departed and headed for the main hall of the city where Aragorn could often be found during the daytime hours.

The bright summer sunlight has enticed the inhabitants of Minas Tirith to go about their outside activities this day. Legolas wove through the clusters of folk gathered here and there. There was an aura of light heartedness in their amicable chatter. Its tone carried a kind of vibrancy and sense of freedom which contrasted with the ever growing dark turmoil brewing inside the elf's every sense and fiber.

The acuteness of the contrast between the atmosphere which he walked through and the one inside his own heart and mind quickened his pace along the path. As he approached he overhead mention of a meeting of the top warriors and scouts which had been called by the King. Legolas knew which council room was used to hold such meetings and directed his course there. Hs pace held a taunt briskness by the time he arrived outside the meeting chamber.

The sentry at the doorway greeted Legolas with recognition. The elf had visited Aragorn many times and all the guards knew to allow him to roam wherever he wished. It was not out of the ordinary for the prince to join the meetings that Aragorn held with his men so the sentry permitted Legolas to pass and then slip into the crowded meeting that was already underway. So many were in attendance that he made it no further than a few feet inside the doorway. There he settled in a spot against the cool stone of the wall, hidden behind those who stood deeper inside the room. He listened to the discussion in progress intently.

"What is the frequency of these attacks?" Aragorn inquired from his seat at the head of the long wooden table that stood in the center of the room. He looked towards one of the men seated further down the table for information. Legolas recognized the slightly older but solidly built man as a scout.

"There appears to be no pattern to it, my Lord. They may have several in a row then nothing for weeks," the man answered.

"And what of casualties?" Aragorn asked.

"Thus far their goal seems more to raid for supplies. Any deaths or wounded have been a result of resistance to the theft of supplies?"

"How long since the last raid?"

"It has been quiet many nights."

"Watches have been reinforced as requested?" Aragorn urged for confirmation.

"Aye, my lord, an inner and outer perimeter has been established in all places that have seen an attack or are especially vulnerable to one."

"Mayhap this is enough," another man suggested from the opposite side of the room from where Legolas stood.

"The reinforced watches would be evident even from afar. Mayhap he is correct," yet another added.

"Let us not be lulled into a false sense of safety. It is better to be watchful and prepared than caught off guard," Aragorn responded.

"The raids thus far have been brazen. Their purpose may be to acquire supplies but it has been told to me that the attackers do not hesitate when presented with the need to silence resistance," the scout who had originally spoken commented.

"The watches have been reinforced with our men now though. They possess greater skill in combat than the local watches. The raiders will know this."

The suggestion that the actions which had already been taken might be adequate seemed to cause a ripple effect. Those seated beside one another began to discuss it amongst themselves whether or not they believed it sufficient enough and soon the room was buzzing with many hushed conversations.

Aragorn's expression shifted and Legolas could tell it would be a matter of seconds before the man called for order to be restored and to request that only one person speak at a time. What the elf had heard so far indicated that the raids were being handled properly and their urgency was far less than the horrors he had seen in the north and that were now headed their way.

Just as Aragorn parted his lips to speak and silence the chatter Legolas seized the opportunity. He quickly nudged through the clusters of men standing in front of him and emerged at the opposite end of the table from where Aragorn was seated.

"There is greater trouble to the north!" Legolas commented above the murmur of discussion.

"Legolas! Welcome! What is that you have seen, my friend?"

"The forests to the north are dying of some unknown affliction. The ailment spreads southward."

"And we care of the forests in the north for what purpose?" one of the men seated at Aragorn's end of the table tossed back boldly.

"The debris from the afflicted forests has contaminated the River Jaden. I have seen this. It flows southward in the river's waters. The once clear river is now choked with the stench and decay. I sensed that there was more disease or danger hidden from sight in its depths."

"I do not see how this overshadows the southern raids. Trees do not warrant our energies while homes are raided in the south!" the man replied.

"Do you not see that when the contaminated waters flow into Gondor it will be unsafe to drink and fish and other water life unsuitable to eat."

"This point is taken Legolas. A warning shall be issued in regards to the river water!" Aragorn stated firmly.

"Aragorn, a mere warning will not be enough. I sense a greater threat here."

"Legolas, it is the best I can do for the moment. I cannot dismiss the potential for more raids in the south. Let us continue our discussion of that threat so that it may be thorough and complete," Aragorn stated rather decisively. Legolas went to open his mouth to respond but the man fixed him with a hard stare which halted the words before they were voiced. The elf closed his mouth and clenched his jaw tightly. In the slim hope that the discussion of the south would be completed swiftly Legolas attempted to restrain himself from further comment.

There was much more talk of the findings that the scouts who had been sent to the areas under attack had returned to report. None of these findings warranted priority over what Legolas had seen in the north – the decay that was headed Gondor's way and the deep sense of an even more ominous danger. The images of charred trees and blackened grasses and unnatural gray green waters swirled inside his mind. The cries of the trees, so agonized and sorrow filled, echoed in his eardrums. The residue of the foul odor of the river haunted his sinuses.

He inhaled deeply in and out for a few moments as if attempting to expel the horrific things which clung to him. But it was to no avail and their collective pressure continued to build up inside his head and heart and soul. So great it became that it forced his voice to erupt loudly in the subdued atmosphere of the room.

"I must interject! These attacks are not as immediate a threat as the one I bring news of from the north. The southern attacks do not cause the amount of loss that the blackness that travels from the north will bring upon you. It will cause widespread devastation."

"Legolas, I appreciate you bringing us news of what is occurring to the north. We are in your debt. However I have a duty to protect those in the south that have come under ambush and ask for assistance. We shall discuss the north once the south is no longer in need," Aragorn responded. A hopeful expression crossed his face revealing that he wished it to be the end of their debate for the time being. But when the elf responded it was clear that this was not going to be that easy.

"There is no time to spare in delay. We must act now."

"Legolas, please let us resume with the original purpose of this meeting. We will speak of the north once the meeting adjourns!" Aragorn stated and let the firmness of it show in his eyes rather than his voice. After a beat of silence one of Aragorn's commanding officers spoke up.

"Rindor and I have been discussing a way in which to possibly determine where the raiders are coming from."

"And a plan to bait and trap the attackers as well," Rindor added from beside him.

The two men expanded upon their idea for a few moments and Aragorn and the others reflected back their questions and additions. Legolas heard the words they spoke but their meaning did not truly penetrate the surface of his thoughts. His heart was beating too heavy with frustration and fury and urgency to concentrate on the exterior conversation.

The others, Aragorn in particular, were dismissing the danger he sensed and that which he had actually had witnessed. A sliver of him was in disbelief at this occurrence. The rest of him was growing impatient and furious. It magnified itself at such an accelerated rate that it was only another handful of moments before he could not hold back its power anymore.

His body took action before his mind had even begun to shift through his options. In a heartbeat Legolas found himself jumping up onto the table which stood in the middle of the room. He then promptly strode down along the center of it until he was right in front of where Aragorn was seated. Only then did his body come to a stand still.

"Legolas! What in Middle Earth has gotten into you? Get down from there!" Aragorn called out in reaction. Those seated around the table responded by either pushing their seats back away from the edge of the table or abandoned their chairs altogether.

"It appears that you will not acknowledge me unless I squarely plant myself in front of you. I will stay where I stand until you deal with me!" Legolas answered Aragorn with challenge.

"I do not wish to be harsh with you. However we are holding meeting here on attacks that have occurred to our south. It is an immediate issue to be handled and I need to return to this meeting. I cannot proceed with you perched upon the table we sit around. Do not make me have you removed. I do not wish to do this. But I will if it becomes necessary."

"Your attacks to the south are nothing compared to that which looms in your north. You have not seen it. The forests are decaying. The trees blackened. The river poisoned! A river that flows straight towards…!" Legolas insisted before being cut off suddenly.

"Enough!" Aragorn cried out with a harsh slam of both palms down upon the table. The blow rattled the wood significantly but the elf standing upon it did not so much as emit a flinch in reaction.

Legolas' stance was rigid and tall, chest at attention, feet spaced shoulder width apart and locked in place as if bracing for the impact of an attack. Both of his fists were clenched at his sides and his determined expression was as solid as etchings in stone upon his features. He had no intention of moving or being moved without a fight. When he spoke his voice was drenched with the same defiant determination.

"Blackness and decay is at your doorstep and you refuse to listen, you stubborn narrowly sighted man!" Legolas spat out. There was bite to the words and their tone. It sunk into Aragorn quite a bit more acutely than he anticipated such a remark might from the elf. Legolas had not addressed him in this manner in a very long time and it ignited the flame of an old wound in him. He had always strived to be greater in character than the faults of mankind.

The elf who now stood upon the table calling him narrow in foresight and comprehension sliced deeply into him.

Had Aragorn not been so consumed with the searing rawness of the now reopened wound he may have realized that the elf prince only said it to break his single mindedness on the attacks in the south. He had only said it to free Aragorn from his knee jerk reaction to feeling embarrassed and out of control for allowing such an interruption of their meeting in the first place.

Unfortunately, the words hit Aragorn's ears too much like the freshly sharpened edge of a sword into flesh. The words he spoke then were born out of the pain and not out of cruel intent. But he spoke them nonetheless, their syllables spilling out from between his lips before he could rein them in again.

"You do not belong here! This meeting was for those committed to fighting threats upon Gondor. You cannot just come in here and address me like this. Leave or I will have you removed."

"Do you not see that the blackness and decay is a deadly threat to Gondor? The River Jaden flows through its heart and carries the debris from the north. Is it that I do not belong here because I am not as concerned with the attacks in the south as you appear to be or is it that I am not human like all others here? Answer me why it is I don't belong here!"

Silence took hold in the room, delivering a suffocating tautness to the air. Aragorn drew in a desperately needed breath and let it quell some of the irritation burning inside him. It abated a bit and when he spoke his voice was gentler and laced with a plea.

"Legolas, mellon nin, please step down from the table."

The elf shook his head in the negative vehemently.

The hushed commentary amongst the others in the room did not go unheard by the elf or the ranger. Phrases such as "Crazy elf!" and "Leafy headed!" wafted around in hushed vocal swirls in the air about their ears. Legolas did not care. His sense of urgency and impeding danger compelled him to continue on his current path.

Aragorn, on the other hand, could see the unbending determination in the elf's eyes and wished to spare any further unruly display in front of those that looked upon him as their leader. Also he knew all too well that Legolas would later regret having acted in such a manner and wished to spare him any further remorse. So turning his attention to all others gathered in the room he spoke with clear direction.

"We shall recess briefly and then resume our meeting shortly. Leave us now. I will call for your return."

"My Lord, I hesitate to leave you alone with him. He does not seem settled in the head," one of Aragorn's commanding officers offered him.

"It is well, Kreegan. Please go with the others." Kreegan, the commanding officer, obeyed but did so with clear reluctance. This included throwing a glare of warning at the elf who had taken up residence on top of the table. Kreegan was vaguely acquainted with Legolas from his visits with Aragorn but there was something different about the elf this day. And he did not trust what this new behavior and mindset might result in.

The others in the room spared no time in departing. Their haste to reach the hallway outside the room resulted in more than a few bumped shoulders and bottle necks at the double doorway. Clearly they did not wish to be present for a potentially ugly end to the confrontation.

Once Kreegan and the others had cleared the room and silence once again arrived Aragorn looked back up to the elf.

"Should I bother to ask for you to come down from there once again?" he inquired when their stand off still lingered after a string of moments had passed by.

"I quite well like the view from up here!" the elf responded and drove his decision home by crossing his arms over his chest in a show of stubbornness.

"Shocking!" Aragorn replied. The sarcasm of it hung in the air for a heartbeat before he continued.

"It has been hectic here since you lasted visited. I have been spread thin in resources and have had to make tough choices in where our priorities lie. I am sorry Legolas. Please stay and we will discuss what may have befallen the north once I have these attacks subdued."

"I fear that it will be too late by then. We must act with haste."

"The troubles in the south take priority. Your care for the trees is clear and endearing but not a more pressing matter."

"You do not hear me! This threat can not be ignored, Aragorn. It spreads the way dark and violent clouds in a gathering storm would blanket the land."

"Mayhap you are taking it too much to heart and it clouds your assessment."

"Why do you not listen? Do you have so little belief in my judgment?" Legolas asked in saddened frustration. This new emotion was what it took for him to abandon his stronghold on top the wooden table. He stepped off the edge and both feet landed silently on the floor.

"This is not true. It is only that there is a matter of greater magnitude that takes our attention first. This matter can wait until afterward. I promise you, Legolas. But this is my first duty."

"It will be too late by then!" the elf declared rather forcefully in reply.

"There is time. I have not seen any hints of what you say lies in the north in my recent travels. It does not yet trouble Gondor."

"It comes nonetheless. You shall regret not heeding my warning."

"I did not say I would not let you speak only that I requested you wait until I have taken care of other matters."

"Hence how I know you do not truly listen or believe me. Mayhap both."

"I simply do not care for your approach."

To this Legolas let his expression respond. He fixed Aragorn with a doubting irritated look. It displayed that he did not believe for instant it was that simple.

"You do not take me at my word it would appear," Aragorn stated, clearly irked.

"If you believe that my approach is the only thing you do not care for then you are truly narrow of sight!" Legolas shot back. This reminder of the elf's early remark to Aragorn was the last thin thread of his tolerance.

"Legolas, you need to leave," he stated in a chilled tone.

"Aragorn I…" Legolas began but was immediately stopped from completing it.

"Now!" Aragorn demanded. His expression and tone left no room for potential debate. Legolas stayed silent for a moment. Then from the pouch that was attached to the strap from his quiver that crossed his shoulder and chest he retrieved a small rolled up piece of parchment. Instead of handing it to the man who sat before him the elf set it down on the table. Gesturing to the paper with his hand he finally spoke.

"A message from my father – the original purpose of my visit. And I suppose the only one you will acknowledge."

The elf turned dejectedly towards the doorway. He hesitated just for a breath as if wishing to give further debate then in the next breath he was out through the doors, moving swiftly away down along the corridor. Aragorn turned away towards the window for a moment and when he turned back the elf had disappeared from sight. He sighed heavily. Somewhere deep inside the need to chase after Legolas prodded at him but the hurt that their debate had inflicted overcame its pull.

"Kreegan! Return the others to the meeting room!" he called out through the open doorway to the man. Aragorn knew that Kreegan would have lingered there given his reluctance to leave him with the rather riled up elf.

"Consider it done, my lord," Kreegan replied, poking his head in around the right side of the doorway. Aragorn leaned back into his chair, closed his eyes, and sighed – taking the brief silent moment to calm his weary heart and mind.

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The streets of Minas Tirith were slightly less congested now. Residents of the city had moved on to other chores and tasks indoors as evening was beginning show its first hints of arrival. Legolas made his way back in the direction of the stables at a slackened pace.

Many thoughts tumbled around in his mind about what had happened in the meeting room. A bit of disbelief still grasped him. Aragorn knew him and still had dismissed the encroaching threat that Legolas had sensed. Even more than this it was hurt that tore at him. _"You do not belong here!"_ Aragorn's words echoed through his mind. Their reverberations traveled to his heart and left it injured all over again.

Aragorn had always gone out of his way to see that Legolas felt at home here and now that handful of words had ripped that away. His chest ached relentlessly at the realization.

Suddenly a wave of shame washed over him. His mind now cleared a little by the fresh air and warm sunlight he realized how he had disrupted Aragorn's meeting and acted in a manner not befitting an elf, nobility, or even a friend. This time his own words rang out inside his head, _"Blackness and decay is at your doorstep and you refuse to listen, you stubborn narrowly sighted man!"_. Legolas hung his head slightly and let out a sigh. The words were beyond shameful. Legolas knew that to Aragorn they would have seemed cruel. This had not been Legolas' intent but that would not have kept the words from inflicting their damage.

He stopped for a moment in the middle of the pathway and looked back over his shoulder towards the main hall. He should apologize for his behavior but Aragorn had been all too serious in his request that Legolas leave. He worried that going back would only make things worse. Simply not able to bear the thought of potentially widening the divide between them or speaking further words of injury he started walking once again towards the stables.

Legolas wondered what had come over him that had made him act as he had. The residue left by his travels in the northern wood seemed to consume him to the exclusion of all else for a moment back in the council room. Without finding an immediate answer he reasoned that it simply might be that he had gotten little rest and had traveled many miles at a most urgent pace.

As he crossed out of the sunlight and into the subdued lighting of the stables he worked to decide what he should do next. He supposed he could attempt to figure out what was happening on his own but quickly dismissed this idea. He sensed there was a much greater threat which still remained hidden somewhere in the blackness and decay. Legolas knew he needed others for the battle to come. He wished desperately that he could speak to Gandalf. But finding him would prove a challenge. Then Rohan came to mind but only stayed there briefly. If Aragorn had dismissed his concerns than why would the leaders of Rohan listen any more. His thoughts moved on to Rivendell. Elrond had always been a fountain of reason and insight. But would the elder elf see the matter as urgently?

This question hung in Legolas' mind as he arrived back at the last stall. He wasted no time in preparing the horse to leave, placing her bridle on, loading the pack she carried on her back, and squaring away other needed items.

Moving to once again stroke her nose he spoke to her – this time in the common tongue.

"I am sorry I cannot offer you more rest, swift one. But I have all too rapidly worn out my welcome here and we must move on."

The horse seemed to hear the sadness in the elf's voice and instead of begrudging the loss of rest she shifted forward and rested her nose gently on his shoulder.

"It is good to know I have not lost yet another friend this day," he whispered more to himself than her. Legolas allowed only a moment of this comfort though. The day was waning and he needed to not delay in his departure.

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Aragorn strode out of the empty meeting chamber and down the long corridor quickly. They had finished formulating a plan to deal with the attacks in the south and a few other matters. After the others had departed he had lingered in the cleansing silence they left behind. His attention had been properly given to the planning but the whole time Legolas had remained in his mind as well.

He was not quite certain why he had reacted the way he had to the elf's disruption. Normally it would not have bothered him so thoroughly. They had spoken harsh words that now seemed like they had come out of nowhere. The only thing Aragorn could settle upon for certain was that the hectic and long stream of urgent issues over the past few months had collectively done more damage to his patience and understanding than he had first realized.

The timing of Legolas' arrival had been unfortunate in that the elf had come to him when his frayed patience and clouded weary mind were at the brink of collapse.

This realization which he had come to while staring out of the window in the meeting room was now resurgent in his mind. Legolas had no knowledge of the state of things here in Gondor as of late. From his perspective the elf must have thought Aragorn was dismissing him as overreacting and not of clear judgment. In reality the truth had been the reverse. It had been Aragorn who had been murky in his thinking.

Now Aragorn rushed out through the doorway and onto the pathways that would take him to the stables. He only hoped that his realization had not come too late. If Legolas had already departed he doubted that they would see one another any time in the near future and their harsh words would only fester into something uglier the longer left unattended.

At his rushed pace he arrived at his destination shortly. Stepping into the dim lighting of the stables from the bright sunlight outside he slowed his pace giving ample opportunity for his eyes to adapt to the change. He blinked rapidly several times encouraging the adjustment to be hurried along to its conclusion. He had reached the halfway point down along the walkway between the stalls when he was finally able to clearly see the entire interior of the stables.

Relief flooded him when he spotted the lone figure that stood next to a chestnut colored horse in the very last stall.

It did not slip past Aragorn's notice that Legolas' horse was prepared to travel. The elf himself was securing his weapons against his back. This was always the last thing Legolas did before mounting for a departure. A mere handful of minutes more and the stall where the horse and elf stood would have been empty and apology would have been out of reach.

The elf who had held his gaze trained downward when Aragorn had first seen him now lifted his head. Their eyes met for a split second before Legolas broke the connection by looking to his right in response to a nudge to the arm from his horse. This gave Aragorn time enough to cross the gap between them and enter the stall where the elf stood. When Legolas turned back around he immediately went to speak. His lips parted but the ranger beat him to it.

Aragorn put his hand up in a stop gesture to halt the elf from speaking. Legolas bit back down on the words and stayed silent. Aragorn's voice replaced it in the air.

"I should have not been so quick to dismiss your concern. I fear that I have not shown trust in your ability to sense these things. If I have done this you must know it is not true. You are certainly most capable in judgment. I became distracted. Can you see fit to forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive Aragorn. You had many things to attend to and I should have not been so forceful."

"I cannot say I have ever seen you be so – _forceful!"_ Aragorn tossed back, grinning when the word forceful came out aloud. There were certainly stronger words he could have used to describe the wildness of the elf back in the meeting room.

"It was shameful of me. I should not have behaved in this way."

"I never knew you had such an ability to clear a room so quickly."

The elf hung his head. The shame was clear as day in his lax posture and the faint unsettled sigh that he let out. Aragorn stepped forward to stand directly in front of him. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and then spoke softly.

"No shame, Legolas. Clearly this matter is of great importance to you. Mayhap you saw it as the only way to get that point across as I was so distracted."

"I should have waited while you handled your affairs then spoken to you."

"It is forgotten. Think of it no more. However you should not have kept this ability of yours to yourself. I could have used it many a time when I desired to swiftly clear a room had I only been aware of its existence."

To this Legolas let out a faint wisp of laughter as the tight grip of the shame released him. His posture straightened up and he lifted to his gaze to Aragorn.

"You can clear a room quite well enough on your own, mellon nin!" he stated with a renewed glint inside his eyes.

"Imagine what we could accomplish together. Mayhap whole cities!" the ranger declared jokingly.

To this Legolas smiled and placed his hand on Aragorn's shoulder. A heartbeat of respectful quiet passed before they both let their hands fall from the other's shoulder. It was Legolas who spoke first.

"I will understand and accept it if you cannot spare any assistance. You have duties you must uphold and that should be your focus."

"We leave in the morrow."

"Aragorn, you are needed here. I should have not tried to drag you from those that need you more."

"I have made arrangements for matters here. It is done. At first light we depart."

"I am in your debt."

"There is no debt. If you sense and believe that this – what was it that you called it before?"

"Blackness and decay."

"If this blackness and decay is headed our way it deserves my attention."

"Hannon le, mellon nin, hannon le."

"I do it gladly but you are most welcome. Come the evening meal awaits us!"

"Will there be any lembas?" the elf asked in all seriousness. Aragorn chuckled in response.

"I am sorry but we are fresh out. I guess you will be forced to eat more than one singe morsel of food this night."

"No lembas! And you expect me to feel welcome here?" Legolas replied, faked insult lacing his voice.

"Difficult to believe I know. With this kind of hospitality we might as well be orcs!"

"I dare say that is a fair statement. No lembas? What kind of realm are you running here?" Legolas replied crossing his arms about his chest in a feigned huff.

"We must appear to you to be in shambles. Mayhap some ale with our meal?"

"I would say that there is not enough ale in all of Gondor to affect me sufficiently enough to forget this atrocity of no lembas - if this be your plan."

"It will not occur in the future I assure you."

"This is comforting to hear."

"I am sure we will come across some lembas in our journey. You shall only have to suffer through one well cooked hearty feast here in this lembas-less place."

To this Legolas released his laughter out into the air. Aragorn's joined his and for a moment they let relief and then lightheartedness wash over them. When the laughter faded away and quiet filled back into the still warm air inside the stables Aragorn stepped towards his friend's horse and began to remove the bridle from its head.

Legolas followed suit, moving around to the other side of the horse and working to remove the pack that was secured on its back. They worked in silence for a moment. After collecting the bridle he had just taken off the horse in his hands Aragorn looked across at the elf and met his gaze. Then the ranger spoke in a near whisper, the words faint in volume but firm in their sincerity.

"And Legolas, mellon nin, you will always belong here. Do not ever think otherwise."

A soft smile was the only response the elf gave in reply. It warmed the ranger's heart. The harsh words between them truly felt mended and Aragorn was grateful their friendship had not been allowed to slip away in such a trivial manner.

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"Now that I have thoroughly bored you with all that has happened since we have last seen each other I wish to hear of what have you seen in the north," Aragorn stated and looked up from the last few bites of his meal. He had explained all the many happenings in Minas Tirith and Gondor since he and Legolas had last seen one another while they dined. The request for the information had actually come from the elf who seemed determined to make up for his earlier behavior despite Aragorn's insistence that it was not necessary.

When the ranger looked up this time, as he had done off and on during the course of their meal, he realized why there had been no immediate answer to the request.

The elf across from him was sitting up straight in the chair. His head was ever so slightly tilted to his chest and his shoulders were faintly slumped. His right hand was rested upon the table – his fingertips still grasping the cup he had been drinking from as they ate. His other hand was laid delicately in his lap. His eyes were open but his body motionless.

"You will never live this one down, mellon nin," Aragorn commented and smiled. The elf had wandered off into a restful state while Aragorn had been looking down at his plate and telling tales of the past months. The smile gave way to a frown as he remembered that Legolas had mentioned having ridden nearly straight out for the last two days.

With dismay Aragorn realized that his friend had probably rested little if at all during that time given his tenacious nature and the sense of urgency he had rather clearly displayed. He wished for his friend to rest but not in the hard stiff chair at the table.

Rising from his own chair Aragorn moved to the opposite side of the table where Legolas was seated. He squatted down at his side and called out his name, firmly but calmly.

"Legolas!"

The elf did not stir in the slightest. This time Aragorn tried a new tactic to rouse his friend.

"Legolas! There's a dwarf drinking ale out of your quiver. He says that next he shall use your arrows to clean the supper from between his teeth."

The words and their meaning did not have the effect that Aragorn believed that they would. Legolas remained unmoving. He was in just as deep a meditative state as he had been before Aragorn called out his name the first time.

"I am sorry for keeping you in conversation for so long. Clearly you were in need of rest more desperately than I realized," the ranger whispered even though he was sure the elf did not hear them. After a moment of silence he spoke again, determined his friend would rest in a better place and preferably lying down.

"Legolas, mellon nin, you cannot stay in this less than comfortable position. Your body will regret it in the morning. Please awaken."

Once again no response arrived, vocal or otherwise.

Aragorn was sure that if he had placed a hand on the elf's shoulder the physical contact would raise him back into alertness but Aragorn decided against this course of action since a fair chance existed of losing a limb if he startled Legolas too quickly into wakefulness.

Instead he chose to pick up the rolled up map that they had been looking at earlier from the table. He used the end of it to deliver a solid tap to Legolas hand several times. He received a response but it was not the one he expected.

"Dara mora sintuk naria. Fen corin cree. Dara mora sintuk naria. Fen corin cree."

The strange words exited Legolas' lips in a low chant over and over. Aragorn did not recognize the language. It certainly was not common tongue nor was it any elvish he knew or even had ever heard before. What prompted him into action though was the sudden chill the words created in the air surrounding the elf.

Concerned, Aragorn risked the potential for injury and shook Legolas by the shoulders. The elf gasped then shot up in posture.

"I was listening. Only relaxing. I heard all that you have told me. You were speaking of the visit to Rohan!" Legolas rambled out. The words came out nearly on top of one another.

"Well this is in part truth for I was speaking of Rohan. Only it was several stories ago. However given what you said just now I am willing to overlook it – for now."

"I am not sure of what you speak. I have said nothing else."

"You do not recall chanting in some strange language?"

"Are you certain this occurred for I do not remember it at all? Why would I not recall? What language was it?" the elf inquired curious but confused.

"All of those are very good questions. I fear I hold answers for none of them."

Legolas was silent for a moment, seemingly focus inwardly in search of answers. When he spoke again his voice held something Aragorn rarely heard in the elf's tone – fear.

"Speaking the words I do not recall but dark rhythm of the chant lingers still in me and does not relent. It is somehow familiar yet unsettling at the same time."

"From what I heard we should be watchful and wary. I did not sense the slightest friendliness about it. Only coldness and dark. I believe no good can come of this."

"I regret to say that I agree. No good will come of this."

To Be Continued…

_**Preview For Chapter Three: **_ The road is treacherous. The journey may be far from at its end but the loss has already begun. Legolas may have gained Aragorn's help but what will the cost be.


End file.
